The Stay At Home Chef’s recipe for The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake has been tried and loved by tens of thousands of people worldwide, all of whom agree that it is the most amazing chocolate cake ever. In fact, it has gained the nickname “The Matilda Cake” because it looks just like the decadent cake eaten by Bruce Bogtrotter in the movie Matilda.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One Bowl – The batter is made in just one bowl, so no combining wet and dry ingredients separately.
- Rich Chocolate Flavor – This cake is rich and fudgy, making it a true indulgence for any chocolate cake lover.
- It’s Moist! – One of the key measures of a chocolate cake is whether or not it is moist. This one checks every box!
- Every Option – Not only is this cake the best, we’ve given you every option we can for various pan sizes, frosting options, and subtitutions.
Are you ready for the most heavenly chocolate cake you’ve ever tasted? After years of testing, we have finally perfected the ultimate chocolate cake recipe. This rich, fudgy chocolate cake will melt in your mouth with every bite. Its fluffy, moist crumb is coated in a thick layer of decadent chocolate frosting, making it a true indulgence for chocolate lovers. And the best part? It’s so easy to make, with just one bowl for the batter.
Indulge in the ultimate chocolate experience with The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake. Moist, rich, and made in a single bowl, this chocolate cake has received thousands of rave reviews. Satisfy your chocolate cravings with the chocolate cake of your dreams.
Substitutions
Buttermilk is a liquid that is left over after churning butter. It is an important ingredient in this recipe due to the way it interacts with other ingredients. Buttermilk can be easily substituted with a mixture of milk and vinegar or lemon juice, or with almond or soy milk and white vinegar. You can also find more in-depth information on how to make a buttermilk substitute in this post.
Yes, you can make this recipe dairy-free. Simply add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to almond or soy milk, let it stand for 5 minutes, and use the mixture in place of the buttermilk. You can also use a dairy-free frosting option for the frosting.
Yes, you can easily adapt this recipe to be gluten-free by using a “Cup for Cup” gluten-free flour blend in the same amounts as the regular flour called for in the recipe.
There are several options that work well as egg substitutes in this recipe:
1/4 cup of plain yogurt per egg
1 tablespoon vinegar+ 1 teaspoon baking powder whisked together per egg
1/4 cup mashed banana per egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg
Adapting the Recipe for Different Sizes and Shapes of Cakes
This chocolate cake recipe yields approximately 9 cups of batter total, or 3 cups for each of the 9-inch layers. Here are some popular pan sizes and the approximate amount of batter needed for each individual pan:
- 9×2-inch round pan: 3 cups batter
- 8×2-inch round pan: 2 1/4 cups batter
- 13×18-inch sheet cake pan: 6 cups batter
- 9×13-inch pan: 6 cups batter
- 12 standard cupcakes: 3 cups batter
- 10-12 cup bundt cake pan: 8 cups batter
As a general rule, cake pans should be filled 2/3rds of the way full for cake baking, unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
It’s always a good idea to check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, the cake is likely done. You can also gently press the center of the cake with your finger – if it springs back, it is probably ready to be removed from the oven.
Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines and the actual baking time may vary depending on factors such as your oven’s temperature accuracy, the type of pan you are using, and the altitude at which you are baking. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your cake as it bakes and to make any necessary adjustments to the baking time as needed.
Types of Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is an important ingredient in many baked goods and can affect the flavor and texture of the final product. It is important to use the type of cocoa powder specified in a recipe, as using the wrong type can alter the balance of flavors and sweetness. There are several types of cocoa powder available, each with its own distinct flavor and properties.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, specifically Hershey’s brand, was used in this cake recipe as it is the most widely available to readers. You can also use higher-quality cocoa powders such as Ghiradelli or those from specialty chocolatier shops, but they can be expensive. It is recommended to avoid using inexpensive store brands as they tend to not produce the best results.
- For the dark-colored frosting in these photos, Hershey’s Special Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder was used.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder is a type of cocoa that has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity. It has a milder flavor and darker color than natural cocoa powder, and is also easier to dissolve in liquids. When using dutch-process cocoa powder in place of unsweetened cocoa powder in a recipe, it is important to consider that it may behave differently due to its lower acidity. However, in this recipe, dutch-process cocoa can be used without making any other modifications.
Frosting Options
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I made this cake as a birthday cake for my chocolate loving cousin!
We were all delighted with how moist and decadent the cake is; Not to sweet and just rich enough! Highly recommend this cake. I didn’t use the frosting I went a different route but imagine it is delicious as well!
Just a precaution to anyone thinking about making this for an event. If you do not like baking don’t do it!! I dislike baking however to impress my girl’s mother I made this for her… Now every event I go to I am requested to make this cake.. Birthdays, get togethers, thanksgiving, Christmas lol. I’ve made this probably around 7 times now and it’s always a hit.
A couple tips that I have:
This is an awesome cake. My daughter-in-law loves it and she avoids most sweets. Of course the rest of the family and friends can’t get enough. I save it for special occasions.
Another person who doesn’t usually comment, but I am compelled to here. I made this cake today for my sons 30th birthday. I chose this recipe after watching a ton of YouTube videos of professional and non-professional bakers. This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made or ever had! Our family loved it. I used the frosting in between the layers only. I made a ganache topping to drip down the sides and used the extra frosting as decor. I used King Arthur Baking double Dutch cocoa powder. It is awesome. If you can’t get KAB cocoa, use a high quality dark cocoa powder, it makes a difference with chocolate cakes. I highly recommend this cake recipe. I wish I could attach a picture…it truly is a deep dark chocolate cake…and huge!
It came out perfect, I added some chocolate too and it was beautiful, thank you!
Oh my god this is the best, I made this for my family Thanksgiving dessert and nailed it!!
What I did do differently though is add less Coco in a little bit more butter and cream cheese for the frosting to make it more of a milk chocolate. Thank you so much this is staying in my family books.
It is a fantastic cake and frosting. We had to subsitute a few things but the cake and the frosting turned out fabulous. An easy cake to make too, thanks.
I used some substitutes,
Butter for oil, coffee for water, and dark cocoa powder, and this was the absolute best chocolate cake EVER!!!
So the first time I made this I thought the frosting was good but really sweet, and it was super thick without the milk. This time, I decided to try it after only adding about a fourth to a third of the powdered sugar and it was rich and delicious. I think it could honestly go either way, depends on your sweet tooth
Every birthday, all my grandsons want chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Over the years I’ve made so many different recipes in search of the holy grail. This one’s a keeper. I’m not a chocolate lover but it has the seal of approval from all consumers, who agreed it’s like fudgey brownies.
Birthday boy requested a chocolate cream cheese frosting, which worked nicely.